UN Approves Larger International Security Force for Haiti

The United Nations Security Council has approved the creation of a much larger international security force to combat Haiti’s escalating gang violence.

The new Gang Suppression Force (GSF) will consist of up to 5,550 police officers and soldiers, with the authority to detain suspected gang members. The GSF will replace and expand the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), which was originally meant to deploy 2,500 members but has struggled with fewer than 1,000 officers on the ground.

Haiti has faced worsening violence since the assassination of its president in 2021. Armed gangs now control about 85 percent of Port-au-Prince, and the United Nations reports that more than 5,500 people were killed in 2024 alone. Nearly 1.3 million Haitians have been displaced as gangs tighten their grip and commit widespread human rights abuses, including murder, child exploitation, and trafficking.

The US-sponsored resolution, passed Tuesday at the Security Council, gives the new force broader powers and more resources. US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said the move “sets right” the shortcomings of the MSS, describing the GSF as a mission five times larger with a strengthened mandate to take on Haiti’s gangs.

The UN says the force will work alongside Haitian authorities to restore order and ensure humanitarian aid reaches those in need. It also approved the creation of a UN support office in Haiti to provide operational and logistical backing.